Young Eadlyn's Birthday
by Sesp64
Summary: The four-year-old princess of Illea plans her birthday party.


"But, Mommy, I wanna plan it!" pleaded the young princess.

"Eadlyn, honey, you're only turning five," her mother responded gently.

"Please, Mommy? I love you so much!" Eadlyn said.

"Are you sure? It's a lot of work to plan a party," her mother reminded her.

"Oh, let her do it," her father said, smiling. Her mother rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Maxon, she's four," her mother said, but Eadlyn knew she was about to agree.

"You can do it," her father said. Eadlyn started cheering, but her father put up a hand. "You can do it, but you have to work with Ahren."

"Do I have to?" she whined.

"Yes," her father said firmly, and Eadlyn knew that was that.

"Okay, Daddy!" she said, skipping off to find her brother.

Her mother watched her run off, shaking her head in the background.

* * *

"Ahren! Ahren!"

"What is it, Eadlyn, I'm reading," griped her twin without even looking up.

"We get to plan our own birthday party!" she said excitedly. Then, getting an idea, she added, "I want a pink cake with flowers!"

"Eady, no pink. I want a cake with dinosaurs!"

Eadlyn smiled. Her plan was working. "Okay, Ahren, you can have a cake with dinos. But I get to decorate!"

Ahren looked up, surprised his sister agreed so easily to his idea. His eyes narrowed with suspicion, but he nodded.

"Thanks, Ahren!" she said, her head already filled with ideas to change the dining room into a party hall.

* * *

"Daddy! Daddy! You're a genius!" Eadlyn said, bounding into the open arms of the king.

"I know, honey," he said. "But I need to work now."

She giggled. "But, Daddy, don't you wanna know why?"

He looked at his daughter in his arms and put the papers aside. "Sure, hon."

"I get to plan decorations for my party!" she said.

"Okay…" said her father, not realizing where this was going.

"And, Daddy, I told Ahren I wanted a pink cake with flowers and he said he wanted dinos 'cause you know he loves dinos and so I said he could have dinos 'cause I like dinos too but I get to do decorations and he said yes! Daddy, it's like what you did with Swendway or whatever it's called and the tar-riffs. Daddy, what's a tariff?"

Her father looked down at her. She was more perceptive than he thought. He supposed that was good, but it was a bit disconcerting to have a four-year-old who understood foreign negotiations. Even if she was the future queen. He would have to be careful talking politics near her, or she'd try to declare war on Ahren. He laughed a little at the thought.

"Bye, Daddy! I have to go plan the party! Have fun working!"

Maxon turned back to his papers, wondering if his daughter knew what it meant to dissolve the castes.

* * *

"Ellie!"

"What is it, Your Highness?" her maid asked.

"Help me make a list. It's very important!"  
"Very important indeed," Ellie said. "Are you already writing budget proposals?"

Eadlyn's face clouded. "What's a budget proposal?"

"Never mind," said Ellie. "So what's going on this very important list?"

"Party decorations!" Eadlyn said proudly. "Rainbow streamers, and those pretty flowers in the gardens. The purple ones. Violets! That's what they're called. And a giant number five 'cause I'll be five. And a number for Ahren to so I don't hafta share."

"Wow, that's quite a list," said Ellie. "Anything else?"

"Maybe a pterodactyl hanging from the ceiling. A giant one. Ahren would love that! Then he can't complain about the flowers 'cause he gets a dino."

Eadlyn jumped down from her table and ran off to the next thing.

* * *

The newly five-year-old princess sat patiently while Ellie curled her hair. As soon as she could, she skipped around her room, twirling in her lavender dress. It was so pretty! She had never worn anything that twirled around like that before.

She ran downstairs into the dining room. It was decorated just like she wanted! There were lots of rainbow banners and the tables all had violets on them and there was even a pterodactyl hanging above her seat. The cake looked nice too even though Ahren planned it.

She smiled at her friend Camille and the two met in a hug. Camille's parents followed behind. "This is a very nice party," Queen Daphne said kindly when Eadlyn had parted from Camille.

"I know," Eadlyn said proudly. "I planned it."

Then she grabbed the hands of Camille and Ahren and they ran off to play.


End file.
